Ph.D in Humanities

Admission Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities (PhD) program seeks to admit graduate students who have demonstrated, through their academic performance, aptitudes to complete graduate work at the highest level. Admission is a privilege granted by the College rather than a right to be assumed by those meeting minimum qualifications. A prospective student must be of good character and standing within his or her community. An applicant’s academic background would ideally represent a broad-based curriculum including the disciplines of English, History, Mathematics, Natural and Social Sciences, and a foreign language(s).

Applications cannot be processed until all required materials are received. As soon as they have been received, the applicant will be notified that the file is complete. If admission is granted, the admission offer will be valid only if the applicant enrolls during the term indicated on the application. When submitted, all application materials become the property of Faulkner University; none will be returned to the applicant. Prospective students who wish to enroll in the Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities program must meet the following admission requirements:

• A completed graduate application
• Hold a completed undergraduate degree from an institutionally accredited institution.
• A master’s degree from an institutionally accredited institution. You may be asked to provide transcripts from all institutions attended.
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.
• Acceptable graduate test score on graduate admissions exams, including the GRE (a combined verbal and quantitative score of 297 or above) or MAT (400 or above) taken within the last 5 years. This requirement may be waived by program director if the applicant’s master’s degree is determined to be in a related field.
• Three letters of recommendation with specific comments regarding the applicant’s academic work, professional experience and ability to successfully complete graduate study. These letters are typically from the applicant’s previous instructors or supervisory personnel.
• A statement of personal goals that identifies how the Doctor of Philosophy program will contribute to those goals (400-500 words).
• A scholarly postgraduate writing sample
• Approval by the director of the Doctor of Philosophy program.

Policies

For full details of policies in the MA and PhD degree programs in Humanities, please refer to the

“Manual for Students and Tutors” and the “Thesis and Dissertation Manual” (available upon request from the Department of Humanities). A few policies are stated briefly here to assist students who are considering applying to one of the programs.

Transfer Policy

A student who has earned graduate credit in comparable courses (as determined by the program director) from institutionally accredited colleges and universities (i.e., by accrediting bodies recognized by the US Department of Education) may transfer up to 6 credit hours toward the MA or PhD degree. Courses taken in pursuance of a master’s degree do not qualify for transfer credit toward the PhD degree. No grade lower than a B is transferable toward the MA or PhD degree.

Class Attendance and Participation

The MA and PhD programs require class attendance via Google Apps for Education, including live video conferences. Seminars require 7-8 video conferences of 90-minute duration in the course of a semester. Individual tutorials require 8 60-minute discussions with a tutor. None of the classes in these degree programs is purely asynchronous.

Graduation Requirements

Students applying for graduation must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for their entire degree, including the thesis or dissertation grade. No grade lower than a C is accepted in the degree program. No more than 6 hours of coursework earning a C may be applied toward the degree. The thesis or dissertation must be successfully defended and receive no lower than a B.

Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is an academic degree with rich roots providing intellectual and spiritual engagement with the Great Tradition of the Western world. The Ph.D. In Humanities is a 48- hour dissertation degree (42 hours of course work and 6 hours credit for the dissertation). This Ph.D. prepares students for service in disciplines such as History, Humanities, Literature, Philosophy, and Classical Education.

Using many of the Great Books and a conversation mode (e.g., threaded discussions, virtual meetings), students work with enthusiastic, highly-qualified tutors to examine, discuss, and work through great ideas with an eye toward living and teaching these truths. The program includes:

1. Two foundation courses
2. Seven core courses
3. Two topical interdisciplinary studies courses
4. One emphasis-specific seminar and two independent tutorials
5. Two dissertation courses

Purpose

The purpose of the Ph.D. in Humanities is to prepare well-trained, morally oriented, and ethically driven scholars in whatever calling they have found themselves. Graduates will be able to realize careers in teaching, research, and diverse fields of human relations. The program is designed to provide its graduates with essential knowledge in the key areas of Humane Letters and Learning for scholarly endeavors. Therefore, the purposes of the Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities are as follows:

1. Prepare graduates for entry-level teaching positions in the public, private, and governmental sectors and to prepare students for post-doctoral research.
2. Prepare students by providing general coursework in humane letters and discipline specific coursework in history, literature, philosophy, and humanities.
3. Provide graduates with the specific and general knowledge and a range of skills for the key areas of reading, writing, speaking, researching, and analyzing which complimentary to excellence in various careers.

Fellows

The following faculty members serve as fellows in the PhD degree program:

Combined, the program’s fellows have produced over 350 academic publications and presentations. Each one has a profound desire to study and seek to continue learning through each class. While the program continues to grow, its fellows and students are always keen to maintain the rich sense of community we feel ought to be part of the Christian university experience.

Application Process

To apply, please:

1. Review the application checklist
2. Complete and submit an application
3. Complete and submit a transcript request form
4. Apply for financial aid (optional)

Applicants’ immediate family members are not eligible to write recommendation letters for their family members’ applications. For more information, including information about tuition and scholarships, please email graduateenrollment@faulkner.edu.

Degree Plan

Total Hours Required for Graduation 48 hours